I See You

We started our day at Terre Promise school where we toured the school, distributed backpacks generously donated by many at Faith Lutheran Church and beyond, and met with six kids who are hoping to go to university on Reiser Relief scholarships.  The students shared their hopes and dreams about why they want to go to university....to acquire nursing degrees to serve the poor in their community, to acquire a civil engineering degree to help build a better Haiti, to acquire a tourism degree to promote all that is beautiful in Haiti.  These were 6 of thousands of bright Haitian students who graduate high school with no chance of attending university without a sponsor.  It was a gift to spend time visiting with them and getting to know them.  An education can change not only their lives, but the lives of their entire family and future generations.  It is overwhelming to consider the enormity of need, so we focus on the 1, 2 or 10 kids who we can help to achieve their dreams.

We spent the balance of our day in Cite Soleil distributing water to those with no access to free clean water, loving on kids who desperately need affection, and opening our eyes to what breaks God's heart.  One of our team members was holding a tiny girl who said in English "I see you."  That phrase struck a dagger in my heart.  I spent the rest of the day repeating it to every person I locked eyes with.   I see you not going to school.  I see you dragging a bucket of water that weighs more than you do.   I see you with your hard bloated tummy.  I see you wearing your hot dirty sweatshirt...the only piece of clothing you own.  I see you walking barefoot over sewage.   I see you calling a shack with a dirt floor and zero human comforts home.  I see you living next to pigs and feces and garbage six feet deep.  I see you and your stunted arms, skinny legs and arms.  

There was another tiny girl who jumped in my arms wearing a filthy polyester cheerleader outfit.  I held this girl 12 months ago and she was wearing the same dress.  Does she have no other clothes?  It looked like she had been wearing the dress for 12 months, day and night.  She had no shoes.  She had no underwear.  She was light as a feather and she clung to my neck.  Her hair was red instead of black: a sign of malnutrition.  And she had tears rolling down her cheeks.  We walked out by the ocean with our team and stood on top of a pile of garbage that also serves as a graveyard and open air outhouse.  Our interpreters lead the kids in song.  "God is so Good, He's so Good, He's so Good!"  My little cheerleader stopped crying and started singing softly in my ear.  The Holy Spirit surrounded us, our team, and the moment in a powerful, indescribable way.

God is so Good, He's so Good, He's so Good

God, I'm crying with you.  Use us to bring Your glory to Cite Soleil.

Peace,

Joyce